Apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. G. TILYOU & J. A. LAGOMMEQ AQUATIC EXERGISING APPARATUS.

N0. 567,056. Patented Sept. 1, 1896 6 BM Jam $55 mamma s i-Etzacu. Pnqfouruon WASHINGTON, n. c.

r 2 Sheets-Sheet'i 2. G. (LTILYOU 85 J. M. A.'.LAUOMMB.

4 AQUATIC EXERGISING' APPARATUS.

No. 567,056. Patented $ept. 1, 1896.-

.(No Model.)

/ N VE N T095 WITNESSES. i 'wg zfm I MAM ATTORNEYS.

m5 scams PETERS 120.. PHOTCLLIIHCL. WASHINGTON. u. c.

NiT D STATES PATENT 0 Price.

GEORGE CORNELIUS TILYOU, OF BROOKLYN, AND JEAN MARIE AUGUSTE LACOMME, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AQUATICAEXERCISING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming pm a Letters Patent No. 567,056, dated September 1, 1896.

Applicationfiled May 27, 1895.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE CORNELIU ing at Brooklyn, in thecounty of- Kings, and

JEAN MARIE AUGUSTE LACOMME, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing in New York city, in the county of New York, State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Aquatic Exercising Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved aquatic exercising apparatus for use at the seaside or other wateringplace or at a river-bank, and designed to permit persons of all ages and sexes to take sea or fresh water baths without risk, danger, or inconvenience, and to indulge with security in aquatic and hygienic exercises, such as learning to swim, withouta feeling of weariness or fatigue.

The invention consists principally of a column, a post extending a suitable distance above the water, a wheel mounted to turn on the said column and supporting at its outer ends sheaves, and ropes or cables passing over the pulleys in the said sheaves and hanging downward.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement with parts in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the exercising-boat, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the driving mechanism.

The improved aquatic exercising apparatus is provided with a column or post A, set in a suitable foundation ]3, arranged in the bed of the ocean, river, or other watering-place where the apparatus is to be used. The column A is preferably of metal and extends a suitable distance above the level of the water, as plainly illustrated in Fig. 1, and the said column is suitably supported by a tower or framework 0, attached at its lower end to Serial No. 550,824. (No model.)

piles 0, connected with each other and driven in the ground in a circle around the foundation B.

On the upper end of the column A is mounted to turn horizontally a wheel D, provided with a hub D, journaled on the column and resting on a suitable collar A, fastened to the column A. From the hub D extend spokes D the outer portions of which pass through a rim D on the top of which is formed or secured a pulley D around which passes the cable E, extending from the wheel D to the shore or other place to connect with a driving mechanism F for rotating the said wheel D by suitable power. The driving mechanism F is preferably provided with a pulley F, having any desired number of grooves for the passage of the cable E, (see Fig. 4,) and this pulley F is secured on a shaft F journaled in suitable hearings in the frame F of the driving mechanism.

On the shaft F are secured the fast and loose pulleys F connected by belt with suitable machinery for imparting a rotary motion to the said shaft F to cause the pulley F to impart a traveling motion to the cable E, so as to rotate the wheel D on the column A.

In order to give the desired friction to the cable E, so as to prevent the same from slipping, and also to give the necessary resistance to the persons exercising upon the apparatus, as hereinafter more fully described, a second pulley F is provided, also containing grooves around which passes the cable E, as plainly indicated in Fig. 4. This pulley F is attached to a shaft F journaled in bearings F fitted to slide in the frame F and carried by screw-rods F held on the frame F and engaged at their outer ends by nuts in the shape of wheels F so that the operator on turning the latter can move the bearings F outward to tighten the cable passing over the pulleys F and F or to loosen the said cable by turning the said wheels F in the inverse direction to move the bearings F inward.

The spokes D project beyond the rim D previously mentioned, and each spoke carries at its outer end a keeper G, in which is pivoted a sheave H, over the pulley of which passes a rope or cable I, extending downward with both runs, the lower ends of each cable being provided with an eye I and a hook 1 adapted to be hooked into one of a series of loops 1 arranged on the other run carrying the eye I. The lower ends of the cables I are adapted to support various apparatus for exercising, bathing, and other purposes, or for directly supporting persons taking hold of the eyes or rings 1 to permit the persons to enjoy the water surrounding the column A. By making the cables adjustable by connecting the hooks I higher or lower 011 the loops I provision is made for the rise and fall of the water, also for the use of different apparatus, &c.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a bathing-boat J may be employed and supported from one of the cables I, the said bathing-boat being provided with ropes or chains J, attached to the eye I of the cable and connected at its lower end to the front and rear ends of an inflated tube J secured on apertured guiderods J fitted to slide vertically in suitable guideways J arranged on the sides of the boat J, the latter being usually made in basket form of iron, willow-ware, or other mate rial, or in the form of a closed boat, if desired. Pins J connect the guide-rods J with the guideways J so that the boat may be set higher or lower in the water, as desired, by the occupant of the boat.

It will be seen that when the apparatus is in use the boat is carried around by the revolution of the wheel D, so that the occupant of the boat has a ride and at the same time is supported by the action of the water, thereby obtaining a bath and also fully benefiting by the action of the waves without any danger whatever.

A swimming-belt K of any approved construction and desirable material may be connected by a strap K with one of the cables I, so that the bather can swim or learn how to swim without danger, it being understood that the person in the belt K is carried around by the rotation of the wheel D, and consequently receives a forward motion, thus aiding him considerably in learning the art of swimming. The apparatus thus employed on the several cables I may be varied to facilitate various exercises in the water without any risk whatever to the person making use of the apparatus.

In order to strengthen the wheel D, braces D extend downwardly from the spokes D and like braces D extend upwardly and inwardly from the said spokes, the sets of braces D and D being connected with sleeves D and D respectively, mounted to turn on the column A and supported on collars A and A respectively, fastened to the column A. An additional set of braces I) extend from the top face of the pulley D to the sleeve D as indicated in Fig. 1. The extreme upper end of the column A may carry a lamp of any approved construction.

In case a person in the belt or other apparatus hung on a cable desires he can raise himself out of the water for rest or other purposes by adjusting the cable, as before described.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In an aquatic exercising apparatus, the combination of a vertically-sustained column, a driven wheel carried on said column, a rope or cable suspended from the wheel, and a floating device carried by the rope or cable, the floating device consisting of an endless tubular float, a reticulated basket having guides, and a perforated rod slidable in said guides and capable of adjustable connection with the basket, substantially as described.

2. A floating device for aquatic exercising apparatus, the device consisting of an endless tubular float, a reticulated basket, perforated guide-rods to which the float is connected, and guides on the basket in which the guiderods are respectively movable, substantially as described.

GEORGE CORNELIUS 'lILYOU. JEAN MARIE AUGUSTE LACOMME.

Witnesses:

THEO. G. HOS'IER, C. SnDGwIoK. 

